PEOPLE should learn from the conviction of a man caught spraying graffiti, says a town centre official.
Huddersfield town centre manager David Wyles said other people who spoiled the town's buildings should learn from the conviction and stop damaging Huddersfield's heritage.
Newsome man Christopher Keith Collins, 29, of Church Lane, Newsome, plea- ded guilty at Huddersfield Magistrates' Court to graffiti attacks on two buildings.
Collins had to pay £100 compensation for each offence.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing and cultivating cannabis and was fined a further £60 with £40 costs.
Mr Wyles said: "Graffiti is a big problem in the town centre and can have serious consequences for those businesses which are targeted.
"This conviction will send out a message that people responsible for graffiti are being caught.
"It should act as a warning to others that we will not tolerate this kind of anti-social behaviour and both CCTV operators and members of the retail radio scheme are vigilant to it."
Some towns have special walls put aside which graffiti artists can use.
But Mr Wyles said once graffiti artists had used them, others came along and spoil- ed them by scrawling artless messages on top.
He added: "Around 90% of graffiti has absolutely no artistic merit whatsoever."
Collins was caught after CCTV operators monitoring the town's safety surveillance cameras spotted him spraying graffiti at the top of Albert Yard.
He had caused criminal damage to walls at the side of Top Shop fashion shop and record shop Sanity.
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